Safety appliance for aeroplanes.



L. PACE; SAFETY APPLIANCE on AEROPLANES. I

v I APPLICATION man 55.20. 1912. 1 @%9@ Patented 11111612, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. PACE.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1911. v

' Patented June 12, 1917.

3 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

L. PACE. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1917- F Patented. 51111612, 1591!.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- lwfye Pm barren mans an imicn.

LAFAYETTE PAGE, OF LAFOLLETTE, TENNESSEE.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Luuu'n'r'rn PAcn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafollette, in the county of Campbell and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful ln'iprovements in Safety Appliances for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety appliances for aeroplanes designed to enable the aviator to descend safely to the ground in case of an accident to the machine.

The invention has for its object to provide a novel and improved safety device in the nature of a parachute which is a part of the top sustaining plane of the machine, and which is readily detachable from .the remainder of the machine when the necessity for its use arises.

The object stated is attained by means of a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an aeroplane equipped with the safety appliance;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fragment of the parachute frame;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a fragment of the aeroplane, with the parachute detached therefrom, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the appliance, with parts broken away.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 and 11 denote the upper and lower sustaining planes of an aeroplane of any type. As usual, the lower plane carries the engine 12 and is supported on wheels 13. As the structure of the aeroplane, except as hereinafter noted, is immaterial to the present invention, a detailed description of the same is not necessary.

Midway between the ends of the top plane 10 is a detachable section, the cover of which is shown at 14. This detachable section carries the aviators seat and has a frame work and supporting means composed of the following parts:

The frame of the machine has a pair of front and rear stanchions 15 and 16 extending between the planes 10 and 11, and connected at the top by cross bars 17 and truss rods 17*. The front stanchions are Specification of Letters Patent.

connected by truss rods 18, and the rear stanchions are connected by truss rods 19, these truss rods being at the top of the stanchions, and also serving as shafts for supporting certain parts to be presently described.

The detachable section of the top plane 10 consists of a canvas or other fabric cover 14: secured to a series of suspension lines 21. carrying a ring 22, and from the latter depend hangers supporting a seat 2t. The frame of the bottom plane 11 has a stand 25 on which the seat rests in the ordinary operation of the machine, and the aviator occupies this seat.

Extending parallel to the rod 18 is a rocking bar 26 fitted with a series of outstanding pins 27. A similar bar 28, with outstanding pins 27 is associated with the rod 19. The bars 26 and 28 are pivotally supported by the respective rods, the con nection being made by'rocker arms 2.) pivotally mounted on the rods and connected to the bars. Certain ones of these arms carry pins 27. Two of the arms of the bars 26 are the branches 30 of a yoke, and two arms of the bar 28 are the branches 31 of another yoke. The inner ends of the yoke branches 31 are brought together to form a loop 32, and the inner ends of the yoke branches 30 are connected and carry a pivoted lever hook 33. The two yokes are adapted to be swung inward and locked together by the hook. 33 engaging the loop 32, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the yokes are thus coupled and locked, the bars 26 and 28 are held stationary and prevented from swinging.

Certain ones of the lines 21 carry latch members 34 in the form of short bars having apertures 35 to receive the pins 27, said pins serving as keepers for the latches. l/Vhen the bars 26 and 28 are in position for supporting the parachute, thepins 27 extend horizontally from said bars and the latches 34L extend across the to of the bars and are hooked on the pins 2 the latches being curved to fit the bars. To release the parachute, the bars 26 and 28 are rocked to bring the pins in upstanding position, whereupon the latches are free to slip off the same.

Two of the rocker arms 29 at the ends of the bars 26 and 28 are the branches of a loop 36, the functions of which will be presently described.

Patented June 12, II 917.

Application filed February 20, 1917. Serial No. 149,973.

The cross bars 17 are stationary and also carry upstanding keeper pins 37 for other latches carried by some of the lines 21. These latches are bars 38 having apertures 39 to hook over the pins 37, and they seat on top of the bars 17, the pins being adjacent to the outer edges of the latter. The bars 17 have a top longitudinal groove 40 across which the latches extend, and they are bowed downward intermediate their ends to extend into the grooves.

The lines 21 also carry two retaining lines 4:1 for the latches 38, these retaining lines being arranged to extend along the top of the bars 17 in the grooves 40 thereof and on top of the latches. When the lines 21 carrying the latches 3t are released, the lines 41 are also released, leaving the latches 38 free to slip off the pins 37.

The pins 37 have extensions 12 provided with eyes through which the truss or brace rods l7 pass, and in the top of the bars 17 are transverse grooves 43 intersecting the grooves 40 and forming seats for the latches 38 to prevent the latter from slipping along the bars.

The ring 22 carries a transverse shaft 14 projecting from diametrically opposite sides thereof, and on each end of said shaft is pivoted the frame 45 of a plane for controlling the direction of the parachute, the frame having a. suitable fabric cover 46. \Vhen the parachute is in use, the guiding planes are located below the sustaining surface of the parachute. and on opposite sides of the vertical center line thereof, and as they are free to be swung about a horizontal axis, the parachute can be readily guided, thus allowing the aviator to change the direction of travel or to glide over obstructions. The uiding planes are independently operab e, each plane having a controlling lever 47 readily accessible from the seat 34. lVhen the parachute is not in use, the guiding planes seat at their ends on the loops 36.

Normally, the pa 'achute is locked to the top plane 10 of the machine by the latch devices hereinbefore described, and it forms a part of said plane. The seat Q C is down on the stand 25 and the aviator occupies the same. When, by reason of an accident to the machine, the necessity for the use of the parachute arises, the aviator needs only to disconnect the yokes 30 and 31 by the hook 33, whereupon the bars 26 and 28 are released and swing to point the pins 27 upward, thereby leaving the latches 34 free to slip off said pins. As the lines 21 are now released, the lines 41 also slip off the latches 38 and leave the same free to slip off the pins 37, so that the parachute is now entirely freed from the plane 10, leaving-the aviator supported by the parachute as the machine drops down from the same. The area of the parachute is sufiicient to support the aviator, and its travel is readily guided by a proper manipulation of the planes l6.

I claim 1. The combination of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, latch devices for securing the detachable section to the top plane, releasing means for the latches, suspension lines carried by said section, a ring carried by the lines, a seat suspended from the ring, a transverse shaft carried by the ring and projecting from opposite sides thereof, and pivoted guide planes carried by the projecting ends of the shaft.

2. The combination with an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, latch devices for securing the detachable section to the top plane, releasing means for the latches, suspension means carried by said section, and a seat and pivoted guide planes carried by the suspension means.

3. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lilies carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, and a seat carried by the suspension lines.

4. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, shafts carried by the aforesaid frame, rocker arms carried by the shafts, bars carried by the rocker a ms, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, and a seat carried by the suspension lines.

5. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on. said bars, a pair of controlling members extending from the bars; means for locking said members together, and a seat carried by the suspension lines.

6. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, shafts carried by the aforesaid frame, rocker arms carried by the shafts, bars carried by the rocker arms, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, a pair of controlling members masses extending from the bars and pivoted on the shafts, means for locking said members together, and a seat carried by the suspension lines.

7, The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, a' seat carried by the suspension lines, cross bars carried by the frame and extending between the rocking bars, keeper pins on the cross bars, certain ones of the aforesaid lines having latches engageable with said keeper pins, and retaining means for the last mentioned latches carried by the lines.

8. The combination with the frame ofan aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section,

latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, a seat carried by the suspension lines, cross barscarried by theframe and extending between the rocking bars, keeper pins on the cross bars, certain ones of the aforesaid lines having latches engageable with said keeper pins, said latches extending across the top of the cross bars, and the latter having notches in which the latches seat and a longitudinal groove intersected by the notches, the latches being shaped to seat in the grooves, and retaining lines carried by the first-mentioned lines and extending along the grooves of the cross bars and across the last-mentioned latches.

9. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines,rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, a seat carried by the suspension lines, cross bars carried by the frame and extending between the rocking bars, keeper pins on the cross bars, certain ones of the aforesaid lines having latches engageable with said keeper pins, said latches extending across the top of the cross bars, and retaining lines carried by the first-mentioned lines and extending along the top of the cross bars and across the latches.

'10. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, a seat carried by the suspension lines, cross bars carried by the frame and extending between the rocking bars, keeper pins on the cross bars, certain ones of the aforesaid lines having latches engageable with said keeper pins, said latches extending across the top of the cross bars, and the latter having notches in which the latches seat, and retaining lines carried by the firstmentioned lines and extending along the top of the cross bars and across the latches.

11. The combination with the frame of an aeroplane having a top sustaining plane; of a detachable section interposed in said plane, suspension lines carried by said section, latches carried by the suspension lines, rocking bars carried by the aforesaid frame, keeper pins for the latches on said bars, means for swinging the bars to release the latches, a seat carried by the suspension lines, cross bars carried by the frame and extending between the rocking bars, keeper pins on the cross bars, certain ones of the i aforesaid li'nes having latches engageable with said keeper pins, said latches extending across the top of the cross bars, and the latter having a longitudinal groove, the latches being shaped to seat in the grooves, and retaining lines carried by the first-mentioned lines and extending alon the grooves of the cross bars and across t e last-mentioned latches.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

LAFAYETTE PAGE. 

